A lifestyle showcased through cheerful social media posts—such as those by influencers—that doesn’t match the income reported on tax returns can be a red flag. These days, posting on social media is effectively making a self-report to the tax office.“If someone frequently posts about dining at high-end restaurants or traveling overseas, yet reports an annual income of only ¥1 million, well, naturally that’s the kind of thing AI is going to flag, isn’t it? Years ago, there was a rumor that appearing in a fly-on-the-wall documentary would trigger a tax audit. The idea was that if the footage showed luxurious furniture and expensive furnishings, but the person’s tax return didn’t reflect that kind of lifestyle, it would raise suspicion. Nowadays, social media posts have taken the place of those documentaries.”